The ship had appeared suddenly and without warning; clearly it had been cloaked and sitting in close proximity to the USS Jaxartes and the SRV James Binney.  It slammed a photon torpedo into the later of the two vessels, before spinning away and heading towards the planet.

As the Red Alert shrieked, Lieutenant Stuart could only watch in horror as a section of the science vessel was ripped open.  But her shock was only momentary as her training kicked in. “Dinari emergency transport, get everyone off the Binney.” She shouted over the ships coms; thankful they hadn’t been destroyed with the rest of the communication equipment.  “We’ve got seconds to get them off!”

She heard the swish of the door to the Bridge opening and stole a glance behind herself.  “Situation report, Lieutenant?” Commander Salan called out making his way gingerly to the Captain’s chair.  The poison had been cleared from his system, but some of its effects still lingered.  Muscles and bone ached, mainly in the Vulcan’s legs.

“Unidentified ship just opened fire on the civilian science vessel, Sir.” She answered back. “Away team plus twelve crew aboard.”

There was a secondary explosion from the science vessel, sending another section of the hull plating, tumbling away from the main body.  The Commander silenced the alarms, leaving only the steady blink of the red lights around the Bridge.

**********

In the Transporter Room, the Chief Engineer desperately tried to get a lock on any life form aboard the James Binney.  He shunted extra power into the system and disengaged several of the inbuilt safety features.  The pads were designed to transport six people; seven if you reconfigured the centre pad, normal only meant for equipment and anything none organic.  Dinari managed to beam back ten all in one go.

Ensign Tholakath was one of those that hurriedly stepped off the pads, ushering the others with him to move out of the way, so more people could be rescued.  Many of the group looked confused, but equally relieved they had been brought to the relative safety of the small corvette. The initial explosion had been close to their location on the science vessel and they’d all felt it shake.

“I’m only picking up four life signs.” The Namibian looked up at the Cardassian, worried that someone over on the other ship had been killed.

“The Lieutenant and Doctor have been taken!”  Tholakath answered.

With that news, the Chief Engineer set about transporting the last few people to safety.  Once that was done, Tholakath asked if Harris would look after their ‘guests’ whilst he headed for the Bridge.  They’d already felt the ship move and figured there was a lot still happening.

**********

When news had reached them that Devron and Andrianakis had both been taken and that the rest of those that had been aboard the Binney were safe; Commander Salan ordered Lieutenant Stuart to pursue the other ship.  She didn’t need telling twice.  The USS Jaxartes, moved away from the crippled science vessel, leaving it behind to drift helplessly; venting her atmosphere, power failing or fluctuating throughout the ship.

They were well under way when Tholakath arrived and took his place at Tactical. He apologised for not being able to protect his fellow crew members.  It wasn’t the first time he felt like he’d let everyone down; even the encouraging words from the Commander did nothing to quell the Cardassian’s anger.

The ship they were chasing was a strange sight to behold; the aft section which included the engines was the rear third of a K’t’inga-class cruiser, on to which the saucer from a Federation starship had been added.   The Cardassian Tactical Officer reviewed the visual data of the vessel as it had de-cloaked.  The outer hull of both the Federation and Klingon parts of the ship were marked with age, hiding much of their features.  He did however detect part of a name.  There was a capital ‘U’ followed by something else the a ‘K’ and an ‘I’ more marks obscured other possible letters but the name ended ‘ASA’

“Sir I think that’s the USS Kinshasa.” Tholakath announced.  “Or at least what’s left of it.”

Salan had to agree with the Ensigns’ statement.  It had been on that same vessel he’d been held captive, eleven months ago, along with his First Officer and crew members from the MRT Atragon.  He’d told this crew about what had happened to him aboard that ship and afterwards, before he’d managed to escape.  Escape from the very planet currently immerging from the rift.

The hybrid vessel was quick; but clearly not as fast as either of the original ships it was made up of, had been.  This enabled the Jaxartes to close the gap between them.  The Cardassian Ensign carefully studied the other ship, looking for weak spots to target; once he was given the order to open fire.  The ships shielding was minimal and wouldn’t last long before collapsing.  It also lacked aft defenses; other than a single phaser emitter at the rear of the saucer.

“Target will be in range in 40 seconds.” Tholakath called out.

Commander Salan was about to say something in way of reply, when a ghostly form took shape directly in the path of the corvette.  A giant hand shimmered into existence, at first transparent in nature, it quickly began to look more solid.  Lieutenant Stuart banked the USS Jaxartes in an attempt to avoid the apparition.  But the hand seemed to change position as rapidly as she could maneuver the ship.  Each time the ship turned, the hand was soon in front again; the gap closing with every second.

Tholakath opened fire, yet the hand didn’t even appear to register what was been done to it. He fired one last time at point blank range, right at the centre of the palm; before the hand closed around the ship.  All forward motion was brought to a sudden jolting halt.

“Sir we’ve stopped!” The Orion Helmsman informed the Commander. “We’re at full impulse and completely stationary!”

“Our shields are at 93% and falling.” The Cardassian added. “Whatever that is, it’s slowly draining our power.”

The Vulcan did not reply directly to either comment, he’s hands clasped together, the back of his thumbs touching his lips, taking a moment to grasp the situation they unexpectedly found themselves in.  The one hand moved to the communications panel on his chair.  “Ensign Harris, we have a situation in progress to which the scientists we’ve just rescued may be able to assist with.”

He briefly gave the Ensign what details were currently available and the young New Zealander past the information on to the scientists.

A few minutes later two of them arrived on the Bridge asking how they could help and were to work.  The Vulcan pointed them to the unoccupied Science station and ordered the ships computer to grant them full access to the ships data base.

In the meantime another two Scientists had headed for Main Engineering to see how they could assist there, whilst the rest made use of the limited lab facilities aboard the Jaxartes.  All of them were desperately searching for any information and possible ideas which could free them from their current plight.

“Shields are down to 80%.”  Ensign Tholakath reported.

Every second they remained trapped, with the mighty disembodied hand slowly tightening its grip on the ship, the vessel they’d been chasing would be getting ever closer to the planet; which had now past the half way point.  Within hours it would fully emerge from Harpers Rift.  Could the Universe still be saved?